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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Amber Hayes, "Wait"

The storyline behind FUNL Music recording artist Amber Hayes' latest single might not seem particularly interesting at first glance. Girl meets guy at a coffee shop. They're about to part when the girl is overcome by the feeling that this encounter could be the beginning of something deeper, and she implores him to "Wait... It might sound crazy/ I'm thinking maybe we could talk and talk all day."

The concept could easily have wound up a bore, but Amber sells it with her performance. Her vocal delivery is tight and focused, but it also carries an air of longing, which is very appropriate for the sentiments her character expresses. She acknowledges that the likelihood of this chance meeting blossoming into romance are relatively slim. "It's a million to one," she admits. "But..." she suggests, "Let's take it anyway!" She is motivated not only by attraction alone, but by the knowledge that she would never know what might come to fruition were she not to take such a chance. She desires "to find out if this spark really is a flame." One could interpret this as underlying message that even if her aspirations are ultimately unfulfilled, she would still have the vindication of knowing that she did not simply let the opportunity pass by.

The production, notably pop-friendly in comparison to Amber's often traditional-leaning style, pulses along energetically as if to urge the character on. Though a song like "Wait" could have seemed like a potentially boring or even fluffy concept, competent execution and a strong performance make this single a broadly enjoyable slice of pop-country fun.